Spinning Stars
by Little Mouse
Summary: What, exactly, was he trying to forget?


**Note/Disclaimer: **This is my first OUAT fic, so please be gentle, though constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. I do not own OUAT, or the song Miss Hollywood, and absolutely no infringement is intended. The quotes come directly from the episode "Skin Deep", and one line comes from the song "Miss Hollywood" by Carbon Leaf. Enjoy. :)

**Spinning Stars**

Squeak…squeak…squeak.

Each slow revolution of the wheel tugged the limp straw through the magic, transforming it into a glittering coil. Each twist of slender fingers made something valuable of something worthless. Too bad the magic could not do the same with his dark heart.

The magic hitched, and a shudder ran through the wheel.

A deep breath, let out slowly through pursed lips. He could not think like that. Spinning gold was never easy. To make something lifeless glitter again, one had to keep the light in mind, no easy task when darkness was your preferred companion.

And so he watched the wheel, spinning to forget, in order to remember…

_Childish giggles at silly faces…_

_ Wobbly first steps into Papa's arms…_

_ Surprised yelps when snow dripped down the back of his neck, and his boy's gleeful declaration of "gotcha!"…_

Pinpricks of light- shooting stars across the blackness of his existence- there and gone again in a flash.

And the wheel kept spinning…

_Her unexpected giggle…_

_ The lilt of her voice…_

_ The compassion in her eyes…_

_ "Can't I at least know you?"_

Magic nearly as dark as his own burst through the doors. "Flimsy locks."

*_Irritating woman*_

"I have a deal to discuss. A certain mermaid."

_"You're not a monster."_

"I'm not dealing today."

"Are you angry with me? What is it this time?"

*_I'm not in the mood…* _A squeal of protest from the wheel. But why let her know that? "You're little deception failed. You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie. You're never gonna beat me."

"Is this about that girl I met on the road?"

_Her sweet hesitancy when she showed him the chipped cup…_

_*Just focus on the wheel. * _Maybe she'll go away.

"What was her name? Margie? Verna?"

_The way she unconsciously sang under her breath as she dusted…_

"Belle."

"Right."

_The delight in her eyes when he handed her the rose…_

"Well, you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy."

The wheel stopped. "What tragedy?"

"You don't know?"

*_Would I be asking? *_

"Hmmm. Well. After she got home, her fiancée had gone missing. And after her stay here, her… association with you, no one would want her of course. Her father shunned her. Cut her off. Shut her out."

_His automatic response when she fell from the ladder…_

The thought of rescuing her again set him trembling. "So she needs…a home?"

"He was cruel to her. He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After awhile she threw herself off the tower. She died."

No.

No no no no no. Not possible. She would never… "You're lying."  
"Am I?"

_"No one decides my fate but me."_

Perhaps… *_No.*_ But if he had sent his Belle to her death because of this witch… "We're done."

"Fine. I have other calls to make."

*_And I'll be changing the locks. * _

"The place is looking dusty, Rumple. You should get a new girl."

He wanted the old one back.

He turned from the doors, drawn across the room to glassed-in shelves.

_The fear on her face as he shook her mercilessly…_

_"No one can ever, ever love me!"_

He opened the cabinet and removed one item.

_"Now you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it."_

He replaced the golden goblet with a painted teacup.

_"And all you'll have, is an empty heart, and a chipped cup."_

He stared at the chip in the rim. A tiny sob escaped on a chocked breath. First Bae, and now Belle. Happiness and love were dreams he could not capture and hold for long. The darkness would not allow it.

A glance at the spinning wheel.

_The soft light in her eyes as she leaned closer…_

_ …Turned to utter confusion as he pulled violently away._

To create gold one needed dreams. And spinning gold is never easy when shooting stars are your dreams.

There would be no more spinning today.


End file.
